As A Bee

This past week was busy. 

The trainer at LA Fitness worked me a bit too hard this week and I could hardly move my legs.  My quads are still cramping up from all of the lunges.  Literally.  I think that I am going to try a new trainer.  I can't work out so hard that I have to wait more than a week to workout again.

School was busy preparing for finals next week.  The end and start of a semester is always a bit hectic.  Kids start to panic because their grades are about to be final.  BHS also had the variety show this week and I sang Blackbird by the Beatles with one of my colleagues,  Margine.  It was a hoot.   Before the show one of my favorite former students stopped by.  She is headed to London for several months in a travel abroad program.  I'm really proud of her.  She is going to really spread her wings there.  SS - if you are reading this - know that I really mean it - I am proud of you. 

Me & Margine  (Love that Guitar)

SS & Me

We had a late night rehearsal on Thursday for the upcoming live worship recording.  It was a lot of fun.  It's always really hard for me to get to sleep after rehearsal - my adrenaline is really pumping - so I was up tooooooo late on a school night. 

Friday evening I headed back to Chicago to see the Sweet PEAA's!   I have been enjoying my time just holding Addison (she's a snuggler) and playing with Alaina.  Emily Ann is really recovering well and both Pete and Emily are really loving their time with Addy.  We went house hunting today in Lake Zurich but it was a bust.  I forgot how tiring house hunting is.  It's surprising to see what is out there on the market.  Pete and Emily could use your prayers to find a house that is "perfect for them"!

Here are a couple of shots - not a lot of pictures from today as we were house hunting.  Hope to rev up my camera tomorrow before I leave.

Christmas Portraits

Family Favorites

We had a lot of fun visiting today. There was lots and lots of chatter about this and that. We exchanged smiles, hugs, and gifts. Here a few of my "top pics" from today! There are more, of course, that I will be sharing in the future. Grandma (a.k.a. Evelyn, Mom, GiGi) was all smiles when she received this beautiful painting from Emily Marie. Emily Marie picked the perfect shades of red to make Grandma smile!

Cousins Joy and Alaina watched out the window as next-door-neighbor Lori shoveling her roof. The natural light through the window was just stunning on these ladies. Look at how their beautiful eyes are all aglow! Two beautiful babes if you ask me!!

After church we took some pictures of Grandma and all of her children (left to right: Susie, Carol, Evelyn, Debbie, Linda, Paul, and Bob). What a legacy of lives Grandma has. Later, at Debbie's house, we sang Grandma and Grandpa's favorite song, "White Christmas." There were several tears shed as we reminisced about Grandpa - our Marvelous Marv.

Oh I just loved how sweet cousins Faith and Alaina were. Faith was such a good "older" cousin to Alaina - always looking out for her. She colored with Alaina during church, ran around the halls of church with her, played in the snow (faith held Alaina up in the orange sled and giggled with great delight), shared her crayons, and just had a lot of fun! My favorite moment though was when Faith wrapped her arm around Alaina like they were sisters.

Prayers Needed

Hi Family,

This past weekend Susie and Paul came to visit Mom{Grandma}. We had a nice visit with them and they are doing well. They did inform us on their children which could use our prayers. Michelle and Jim are both out of work and looking for new jobs. Heather is at a community center following a program their to get her life back on track. At present she does not want to see her family but Sue did go and see her and said she looked better then she had.

Kirsten broke bones in her legs several weeks ago after falling on ice. She had another surgery a couple of weeks ago and has had complications. She got an infection in her leg where they had put screws in and these had to be removed, leaving an open hole the size of a golf ball. She was sent to a nursing home for treatment and drainage of the wound. She now has seen another doctor who will be performing more surgery soon. Kirsten is now at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital awaiting her next surgery. She may have to have a series of surgeries to repair her leg. The doctor says it will be at least a year of healing. All of them could use our prayers. If you would like to send Kirsten a get well the address to the hospital is: Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
1775 W. Dempster Ave.
Park Ridge, IL 60068

Winter also has had a bit of bad luck lately. She lost her job a couple of months ago and recently had a fire in her apartment. She is now homeless and jobless. She is on the job hunt and living with us and friends.

Sorry to bring so much bad news in one post but that's the way life is sometimes. I hope that life is going well for the rest of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Debbie